Top Cover Letter Formats & Pro Writing Advice
Use our tips and templates to create a cover letter employers will love!
Cover letters are a crucial part of your job application toolkit; they go above and beyond the resume to add an extra dimension of personal selling and storytelling to your work story.
For this reason, it’s always a good idea to include a cover letter, even if a particular job ad doesn’t ask for one. What’s more, the research shows that recruiters still expect you to submit a cover letter, even if they may not get around to reading it. In short, it’s a safer bet to write a cover letter than to not write one, and including it shows that you care about the position.
Of course, it a known fact that writing a cover letter can be daunting. But understanding the most important sections to include and knowing best writing practices will make this task much easier. You can use our cover letter formats and our section-by-section writing advice for guidance.
Why Cover Letter Format Matters
The best cover letters tell a short story about the jobseeker’s experiences. Because recruiters read a large volume of application materials, you have to make an impact in a small amount of time. Thus, cover letter format matters.
Hiring managers don’t have time to sift through blocks of text to understand your qualifications. Instead, break up your cover letter into neat sections so that it’s easy to follow. This way, recruiters can easily identify the necessary information in your letter, even by skimming.
Here are a few quick takeaways about cover letter format to keep in mind:
1
Keep it short and to the point.
2
Employ the same font and header that you used in your resume.
3
Share a professional email address in your contact information.
4
Start with a strong opening sentence that showcases your qualifications.
5
Address the letter to a particular person, rather than “To Whom It May Concern.”
6
Make sure you have clear, distinct paragraphs.
7
If you have a personal connection to the company, then state it in the first paragraph.
8
In your body paragraphs, craft an argument to prove that you’re the ideal person for the role.
9
Use bullet points to emphasize quantitative metrics.
10
Provide a call to action in your conclusion.
How to Write a Cover Letter Salutation
Your header and salutation are the first parts of your cover letter that recruiters and hiring managers will see. Because of that, you have to make sure that yours are properly formatted. Ensure that your name is bolded and in a larger font than the rest of cover letter. Then, list your address (just sharing your city and state is fine), email address, and phone number. You can also include a professional social media handle.
Between your header and salutation, write the name of your hiring manager, the company name, and its location. When you get to your salutation, address your recruiter by Mr./Ms. And their last name. If you don’t have this information, then you can use ‘Dear Hiring Manager’.
Look at our cover letter format to see how to do it.
Cover Letter Salutation Example
Wendy Lee
San Mateo, CA • wendy.lau45@example.com • 408.555.0000 • linkedin.com/in/wendy-lau
Dear Mr. Irma:
How to Write a Cover Letter Introduction
To get the recruiter’s attention, write an engaging introduction that shows your interest in the job and touches on your qualifications. Do this to encourage your audience to continue reading.
Write a strong opening line that creates interest. Don’t write something generic, such as “I am writing to express my interest in the Sales Manager position.” If you want to mention the role in your opening line, then address it in a way that shows enthusiasm for the job, like “As a lifelong Old Navy shopper, I was excited to learn about the new Sales Manager opening.”
Next, offer a brief overview of why you are the ideal candidate for the role.
Cover Letter Salutation Example
1
Start with an engaging opening line. Try a relevant anecdote, a personal connection, or an effort to further your personal brand.
2
Convey enthusiasm right from the start. Instead of writing statements like “I’m an industry professional interested in the Account Executive position,” show how excited you are to apply. Use statements like “Over the course of my 10 years in the tech industry, I never cease to feel excited and challenged by the dynamics of this field.”
3
Give a brief overview of how you’d contribute to the company. Instead of simply saying that you want a position, touch on the skills and experiences that you bring to the table.
[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
[Date]
[Recipient’s First Name] [Recipient’s Last Name]
Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear Mr. Jimenez,
In my [time period] at my previous position, I was responsible for [task 1] and developed an exceptional ability to [skill 1] and [skill 2]. My excellent [skill 3] and [skill 4] skills also allowed me to [accomplishment 1].
At Sampson Inc., I moved from junior recruiter to Head Corporate Recruiter in just a year. My talent for maintaining productivity in an ever changing environment with competing priorities not only earned me this promotion, but is also helped me obtain Employee of the Month three times over the course of two years. Out of an office of 200 people, that’s quite an honor!
I believe you’ll find my experience and personal qualities will more than meet your expectations and I’m confident I would be a productive addition to your team. Please reach out at your earliest convenience to set up an interview. I look forward to meeting you and thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Andrew Green
How to Write a Cover Letter Body Paragraph
Your body paragraphs are the meat of your cover letter. Here is where you showcase your experiences by telling a story that explains your impact. Don’t only pick an experience that is dear to you, but also one that fits with the requirements of the job description. Also, make sure that you are not restating experiences on your resume.
While it’s fine to address elements from your resume, you should expand on them rather than regurgitate what your resume states. By revealing a story about your past performance and connecting them to the role at hand, you will make a strong case for why the company should hire you. If you’d like an example, refer to the cover letter formats farther down on this page.
3 Best Cover Letter Body Paragraphs Tips
1
Match your body paragraphs with the job description. If the job description says that the model candidate is an effective communicator, don’t just write about your analytical skills. Tell a story about how you may have resolved a misunderstanding between peers by fostering transparent communication, or how you communicate in leadership roles.
2
Talk about your actions and how they drove impact. Don’t just list the things you’ve done. Showcase your accomplishments and add details to illustrate the impact your performance left on the overall project or company.
3
Do not restate the content on your resume. Your cover letter should build on your resume, and bring those experiences to life with further detail.
[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
[Date]
[Recipient’s First Name] [Recipient’s Last Name]
Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear Mr. Jimenez,
t’s with great enthusiasm and over a decade of past experience that I apply to this Public Relations Manager role at Hyperflex Electronics. With my proven track record in market research, launching marketing campaigns, and gaining new customers, as well as my time working across a variety of industries, including healthcare, cosmetics, and social media, I believe I’d be a great fit for the role and just the person to take your business to the next level.
My successes at Mason & Mutter Marketing and Halu shaped me into the optimal candidate for your public relations and marketing team. You need someone with experience in CRM software; I have mastered a variety of CRM software such Salesforce, Sprinklr, Hootsuite, and content management platforms like Curata. Beyond that, you need a talented worker who can bring ideas from conception to completion. Though I’m creative, I don’t stop at the ideas: I make sure that each of my valuable notions are meticulously proofed, mapped out, and delivered.
n my last role as the Social Media Manager for Halu, I found that many of our audience members were dissatisfied with the way some of our actors presented themselves on-screen and off-screen. Due to the backlash of a particular controversy, I brainstormed potential solutions that bridged the image of some characters and their respective actors. After sampling and analyzing our consumer segment and potential future consumers, I took the concern to social media and partnered with five of our actors to reveal aspects of their lives in our Honesty campaign. From then on, the campaign #behindtheface went viral, and Halu gained over 15,000 subscriptions within the first two weeks of the campaign.
I would enjoy the chance to speak with you in person about how I can contribute to your team and help you meet your goals.
Sincerely,
Andrew Green
How to Write a Cover Letter Conclusion
The final step to writing a cover letter is crafting a masterful conclusion that compels hiring managers to invite you for an interview. The conclusion of your cover letter should start with a restatement of your interest in the position. Next, invite the reader to contact you. Lastly, express gratitude. If you have room, then you can share your contact information again.
Not sure how to start your conclusion? Take a look at our cover letter format for examples and guidance!
3 Best Cover Letter Conclusion Tips
1
Keep showing enthusiasm. Your entire letter should convey excitement, and now is not the place to stop. Express your earnestness with statements like “Thank you for taking the time to review my application. It would be an honor to work for your team.”
2
Don’t forget to thank the reader for their time. Give a call to action, welcoming a conversation to discuss your qualifications further.
3
Focus on what you can do for the company. Tie up the loose ends simply by re-emphasizing your interest in the role and noting why you’re the ideal fit for the job. For more help, have a look at the cover letter format examples farther down on the page.
[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
[Date]
[Recipient’s First Name] [Recipient’s Last Name]
Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear Mr. Jimenez,
It’s with great enthusiam and over a decade of past experience that I apply to this Public Relations Manager role at Hyperflex Electronics. With my proven track record in market research, launching marketing campaigns, and gaining new customers, as well as my time working across a variety of industries, including healthcare, cosmetics, and social media, I believe I’d be a great fit for the role and just the person to take your business to the next level.
My successes at Mason & Mutter Marketing and Halu shaped me into the optimal candidate for your public relations and marketing team. You need someone with experience in CRM software; I have mastered a variety of CRM software such Salesforce, Sprinklr, Hootsuite, and content management platforms like Curata. Beyond that, you need a talented worker who can bring ideas from conception to completion. Though I’m creative, I don’t stop at the ideas: I make sure that each of my valuable notions are meticulously proofed, mapped out, and delivered.
In my last role as the Social Media Manager for Halu, I found that many of our audience members were dissatisfied with the way some of our actors presented themselves on-screen and off-screen. Due to the backlash of a particular controversy, I brainstormed potential solutions that bridged the image of some characters and their respective actors. After sampling and analyzing our consumer segment and potential future consumers, I took the concern to social media and partnered with five of our actors to reveal aspects of their lives in our Honesty campaign. From then on, the campaign #behindtheface went viral, and Halu gained over 15,000 subscriptions within the first two weeks of the campaign.
To summarize, I believe that my achievements in PR and social media management make me a strong candidate for this role. I would love to speak with you to learn more about the role and how I could help your team. Thank you for taking the time to review and consider my application.
Sincerely,
Andrew Green
Top Cover Letter Format Examples
[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
[Date]
Recipient’s First Name] [Recipient’s Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear Mr. Jimenez,
As a professional with several years of experience in the recruiting industry, I was excited to see that there is an opportunity to join your organization as a senior recruiter. The combination of my background and experience makes me an excellent candidate for this position.
At Sampson Inc., I moved from junior recruiter to Head Corporate Recruiter in just a year. My talent for maintaining productivity in an ever changing environment with competing priorities not only earned me this promotion, but is also helped me obtain Employee of the Month three times over the course of two years. Out of an office of 200 people, that’s quite an honor!
I will bring to your team solid talent identification and data analysis skills. In addition, these capabilities plus my strong communication and rapport building talents led to great hires. Approximately 75% of my hires stayed at Sampson for at least two years.
I would enjoy the chance to speak with you in person about how I can contribute to your team and help you meet your goals.
Sincerely,
Andrew Green
This cover letter is not only impactful, but it is also short and to the point. The letter starts out with an engaging line about having experience in the industry that the position is focused on, and sums up why he would be a good candidate for the position. His enthusiasm is apparent throughout the document, and he effectively outlines his career path and accomplishments.
Notice how this cover letter emphasizes not only his skills, like “talent identification” and “data analysis,” but quantitative measures as well. It’s important to emphasize important numbers, like “75% of my hires stayed” to give the hiring manager an idea of your achievements relative to those of others.
Then, the letter summarizes the candidate’s skills and how they will make him a good fit for the team. If you’d like some more examples or assistance, make sure to look through our cover letter format. Another great source is our cover letter builder, which is filled with pre-written, engaging phrases and a variety of base templates.
[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
[Date]
Recipient’s First Name] [Recipient’s Last Name]
[Street Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Dear Ms. Forte,
I was absolutely thrilled to see that you are hiring for a social media marketing assistant at Sophia’s Healthy Treats. I am a huge fan of your products, and with my skills and experience, I would be an excellent asset to your team!
My outstanding data analysis and content management skills have been honed over four years of experience in the social media marketing field. In my previous role at Carly’s I also acquired superior social media management abilities. In fact, I doubled the company’s Twitter and Instagram followings, then increased Facebook fans by 35%.
Thanks to my work, social media engagement across all platforms skyrocketed by 60%. This allowed our product team to improve our products and increase customer satisfaction across the board. Also, I managed the biweekly company newsletter — using MailChimp — and earned an average of 37% open rate over the course of two years.
I am ready to bring this combination of skills and experience to your team at Sophia’s Healthy Treats. I would love an opportunity to discuss this role further, and I look forward to hearing from you.
All the best,
Antonio Tarabini
This cover letter starts with an engaging opening. Soon after the candidate introduces the position he applies for, he discusses how his experiences make him an ideal candidate for the job.
Even beyond listing his skills and the work he accomplished, he emphasizes the impact he had on his company. For example, he states that he “doubled” the Twitter and Instagram audience, and “increased Facebook fans by 35%.” By clearly outlining his impact through quantitative metrics, he distinguishes himself from other candidates who may leave their work in general terms.
The cover letter as a whole is relatively brief, but at the same time it showcases his skills and achievements.
Finally, if after reading these cover letter format tips you still feel like you need some more writing guidance, take advantage of our cover letter builder, which provides you with many templates to base your cover letter off of, as well as valuable content to include.
